CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 13 (Reuters) - World number one and hot favourite Matt Weston kept his nerve to win the Olympic men's skeleton gold in emphatic style on Friday, incredibly clocking four track records in a row to give Britain their first medal of the Games.
Germany's Axel Jungk took silver for the second successive Games, a huge 0.88 seconds adrift, while compatriot and defending champion Christopher Grotheer got the bronze.
In truth though, there was only ever one man it.
Weston was on fire in Thursday’s opening runs and built a three-tenth cushion on Jungk.
The double world champion, who has just chalked up a third successive World Cup overall title, was first out again on Friday with a chilly, late evening start that brought an extra sheen – and its associated risk – to the ice.
It made no difference to the 28-year-old, however, as he chalked up a third record time to stretch his lead over the German duo.
Weston said this week that if it looks as if he is doing nothing then things are going well, and that was exactly the case on Friday as there was barely a flicker of movement from any part of his body as he glided serenely – at 80mph – along the optimum line.
By the time he stood at the top for the final run of the day he knew he just had to avoid any major mishaps, but instead he went even faster to stamp his authority all over the competition.
PASSIONATE CELEBRATION
After climbing off his sled, Weston let out his trademark roar then sunk to his knees in relief, tears pouring down his face.
"On the last corner I was just holding on thinking I hope I've done enough," Weston, resplendent in his dayglow pink GB woolly hat, told a news conference.
"I didn't even see the time. I just saw green and I just started crying straight away. I almost didn't brake. The emotions just hit me like a flood.
"Next thing I know (coach and double Olympic silver medallist for Latvia) Martins Dukurs is jumping on my back saying amazing things to me and saying how proud he was of me which means a lot coming from someone who's so great in the sport and someone I've looked up to and is a massive inspiration."
Weston becomes the first British man to win gold in the sport where they have three women’s titles and are now the most successful country in skeleton since it began its on-off association with the Olympics in 1928.
"To put my name among some of the great British sliders who have managed to become Olympic champion as well is insane," said Weston, who arrived in Cortina saying he was interested only in gold. "To be the first man to do it feels extra special and hopefully I've set a trend for British skeleton in the future."
Britain's success is all the more remarkable for a country without a sliding track. Athletes practice their starts on a wood and concrete model at their Bath University training base but have to travel to Europe or North American to hone their skills on the ice.
Four years ago, however, they failed to win any medals for the first time and Weston, who converted to the sport at 20 after breaking his back as a teenager in taekwondo, finished 15th.
He, coaches and officials immediately set about a radical overhaul of equipment and approach - starting work with a sports psychologist - that changed things around completely.
Now Weston is the dominant athlete in the sport, as evidenced by him winning five of the seven World Cup races this season and finishing second in the other two.
He will not be celebrating too wildly, however, as he will go again in the new mixed team relay on Sunday, following the women’s singles on Saturday.
A notable absentee from the competition on Friday was Ukrainian Vladyslav Heraskevych, disqualified 30 minutes before the start of Thursday’s session because of his refusal to not use his "helmet of remembrance" in the race.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
